Saudi Arabia's Royal Reserves: a complete guide

Saudi Arabia's Royal Reserves are eight nature reserves overseen by the Royal Reserves Council, set up in June 2018 and chaired by the Crown Prince, each with a development authority responsible for its planning and operation. They are King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Imam Turki bin Abdullah, Imam Faisal bin Turki, King Abdulaziz, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed, Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz and King Khalid Royal Reserves. The largest is King Salman Royal Reserve in the north; the smallest is King Khalid Royal Reserve north-east of Riyadh.

Together they now cover about 14.9% of the Kingdom's area and are a cornerstone of the land and sea protection targets under Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative. This guide introduces the Council, each royal reserve, and how the reserves are managed.

The Royal Reserves Council

Royal Order A/219 of 17/9/1439 AH established the Royal Reserves Council within the Royal Court, and Order A/220 of the same date named its members, chaired by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Members include princes, the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and specialists chosen by the chair.

The Council sets the strategic direction for the royal reserves, with the aims of conserving their natural components, reintroducing wildlife and developing ecotourism while preserving each reserve's distinct identity. The development authorities prepare the plans and run the reserves on the ground.

The network began with six reserves under the 2018 orders; King Khalid Royal Reserve was added in 2019, and Imam Faisal bin Turki Royal Reserve in 2023, bringing the total to eight.

The royal reserves at a glance

Areas as published by the development authorities and the Saudi Press Agency; for Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed, as published by its development authority; for Imam Saud, as published by Saudipedia. Some figures differ between sources: IUCN gives 28,340 km² for King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, and Saudipedia gives 720 km² for King Khalid Royal Reserve, where we use its development authority's figure of 1,162 km².

Royal reserves in the Riyadh region

Three of the eight royal reserves lie wholly or mostly in Riyadh Province:

• King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve: north-east of Riyadh, mostly in Riyadh Province with a part in the Eastern Province, covering about 28,000 km². It includes the Tanhat, Khafs and Noura rawdahs.
• Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve: in north-east Riyadh Province, including Rawdat Khuraim, covering 11,300 km².
• King Khalid Royal Reserve: formerly Thumamah park, about 80 km north-east of central Riyadh, covering 1,162 km², the smallest royal reserve by area.

The Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority also manages King Khalid Royal Reserve. The other reserves lie in the north, on the Red Sea coast, in the south-west and near Taif, as the table above shows.

Royal reserve boundaries: what the official sources publish

No development authority publishes a downloadable boundary file, and the authorities differ in how much they say about their boundaries. This is what we found for each reserve:

• King Salman bin Abdulaziz: its northern edge runs along the Jordanian border, and Saudipedia describes it as bordered by Tabuk Province to the west, Tayma to the south-west, Hail to the south-east, and Sakaka and Dumat Al-Jandal to the east. We found no boundary map on its development authority's website. Boundary details
• Imam Turki bin Abdullah: spans five regions, Al-Jouf, Qassim, Hail, Northern Borders and the Eastern Province, according to its development authority. We found no written description of its boundary line.
• Imam Faisal bin Turki: spans the Asir, Jazan and Makkah regions and extends into territorial waters in the Red Sea, according to the Saudi Press Agency. We found no official development authority website that publishes its boundaries.
• King Abdulaziz: Saudipedia describes it as bordered by Hafr Al-Batin Governorate to the north, Al-Majmaah to the west, Riyadh city to the south and Qaryat Al-Ulya to the east. Its development authority says the boundaries are marked by guide signs and on Google Maps. Boundary details
• Prince Mohammed bin Salman: on the Red Sea coast between NEOM, the Red Sea project and AlUla. Its development authority publishes a zonation map of the reserve on the permits page of its website. Permits page
• Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed: according to its development authority, the boundary runs west to the Buwaib road, the Rumahiyah centre and King Khalid Royal Reserve; north to the Shawyah centre and the south-west of the Dahna desert; south to the Dammam–Riyadh expressway; and ends in the east at the Al-Dahu centre. The authority publishes an illustrative map of this reserve and King Khalid Royal Reserve on its website.
• Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz: north-east of Taif Governorate, about 180 km from Taif, and enclosed by a 220 km fence, according to Saudipedia. We found no official development authority website.
• King Khalid: according to its development authority, it is bounded by the Rumahiyah – Hafnah road to the north, the Buwaib road to the east, which separates it from Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve, the Thumamah road to the south and the Tuqi road to the west. Boundary details

The internationally registered boundaries of these reserves are published in the World Database on Protected Areas (Protected Planet). Sources for King Salman, King Abdulaziz and King Khalid are listed in each reserve's own guide.

Reserve by reserve

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve

The largest royal reserve, described by its development authority as the largest reserve in the Middle East. Saudipedia records more than 282 animal species and more than 450 plant species. It was added to the IUCN Green List in 2024. It was formed from the Al-Tubaiq, Harrat Al-Harrah and Al-Khunfah reserves and the areas between and adjacent to them. Guide to King Salman Royal Reserve boundaries · Al-Tubaiq and Harrat Al-Harrah reserves

Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve

Spanning five regions, the reserve's authority lists more than 235 plant species in 47 families and more than 256 wildlife species. It was designated a biosphere reserve under UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme in 2025.

Imam Faisal bin Turki Royal Reserve

Established by a high order dated 17/12/1444 AH and announced in October 2023, it is the third-largest royal reserve, combining sea, coast, peaks, plains, desert and valleys, with about 100 heritage villages.

King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve

It includes the Tanhat, Khafs and Noura rawdahs, part of the Summan plateau and the Dahna desert, and more than 270 plant species according to its authority. Its addition to the IUCN Green List was announced in January 2025. Guide to King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve

A land and marine reserve on the Red Sea coast with 15 ecosystems from mountains to coral reefs. In 2021 it formed the Middle East's first female ranger corps.

Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve

In north-east Riyadh Province, including Rawdat Khuraim, it is home to reintroduced species such as the Arabian oryx and the red-necked ostrich. Its development authority also manages King Khalid Royal Reserve.

Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve

Formerly known as Mahazat as-Sayd, north-east of Taif, it saw the Kingdom's first Arabian oryx reintroduction in 1990.

King Khalid Royal Reserve

Formerly Thumamah park north-east of Riyadh, it received royal approval in October 2019. Its development authority records 195 plant species, and Saudipedia 148 bird species. Guide to King Khalid Royal Reserve

The Royal Reserves and Vision 2030

The royal reserves serve the Saudi Green Initiative target of protecting 30% of the Kingdom's land and sea by 2030. The Royal Reserves Council's 2030 targets, as published by the Saudi Press Agency, include:

• planting more than 80 million trees;
• attracting more than 2.3 million visitors a year;
• restoring more than 15 heritage sites;
• reintroducing more than 30 threatened species.

The Saudi Green Initiative lists royal reserves as one of the categories of protected area counted towards this target.

How are the royal reserves planned and managed?

Each development authority works within the Council's strategic direction. Reserve management typically moves through successive layers: a founding strategy that sets the vision and priorities; an integrated management plan covering zoning, rehabilitation and reintroduction programmes, ecotourism and community engagement; then systems for monitoring and management-effectiveness assessment. Some reserves pursue international recognition, such as the IUCN Green List or UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme, both of which require evidence of effective, measurable management.

Frequently asked questions about Saudi Arabia's Royal Reserves

The Rasmala team's experience

Rasmala's experts, independently or as consultants and specialists to major international consultancies, have delivered numerous advisory engagements for the royal reserves, including:

• the strategy and integrated management plan for King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve, including World Database on Protected Areas registration (2022–2023);
• strategies and integrated management plans for Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed and King Khalid Royal Reserves (2022–2025);
• the strategy and management plan for Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve (2022–2024);
• the founding strategy and management plan for Imam Faisal bin Turki Royal Reserve (2024–2025).

How we can help

• Nature reserve management: management and business plans, zoning schemes and use regulations, and management-effectiveness assessment (METT).
• Nature and biodiversity conservation: biodiversity baselines, reintroduction feasibility studies and release plans, and habitat restoration.
• Ecotourism: concession frameworks and operator guides, carrying-capacity studies and visitor management.
• Environmental management and monitoring: monitoring indicators, remote-sensing and field-data protocols, and decision-support dashboards.

We offer these services to reserve development authorities and to organisations planning activities or projects inside or next to protected areas. Rasmala does not issue entry or visit permits for any reserve; those sit with each reserve's development authority. To discuss a project, contact the Rasmala team.

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